Case facing Chadema top leaders set to be heard for two consecutive days

Dar es Salaam. The Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court has set aside two consecutive days for hearing of witnesses in a case facing Chadema top brass leaders including Chairman Freeman Mbowe.

The case will now be heard by Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simba after former magistrate Wilbard Mashauri was appointed a High Court Judge.

The decision to hear the witnesses for two consecutive days was made on Thursday, March 14, 2019 by Magistrate Simba, who directed prosecution to read the Preliminary Hearing (PH) against the suspects.

He said because the case has taken long, he decided to have it heard for two consecutive days; March 28 and March 29.

Mr Mbowe and eight other Chadema top brass leaders are facing 13 counts including illegal assembly and mobilisation of citizens to commit crime.

“The case was under Magistrate Mashauri (Willbard) who has since been appointed judge of the High Court. After assessing the file, I have discovered that it contained many issues, therefore PH should be read afresh,” said Magistrate Simba.

After the directives, attorney Simon re-read the PH, whereas the suspects denied all charges.

Magistrate Simba adjourned the case until March 28 and March 29 this year when it will hear the witnesses.

Earlier, state attorneys Wankyo Simon and Patrick Mwita demanded before the court that the case had been brought for the PH.

Other than Mr Mbowe, other suspects in the criminal case number 112/2018 are Secretary General Vincent Mashinji, deputy secretaries John Mnyika (Mainland) and Salumu Mwalimu (Zanzibar).

The suspects are accused of committing an offense on February 16, 2018 along the Kawawa Road, Kinondoni District instigating chaos which caused death of a National Institute of Transport (NIT) student Akwilina Akwiline.